Folding display table



June 7, 1966 A. c. BURR FOLDING DISPLAY TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 26, 1964 INVENTOR. 19/021 6. Barr p/LM HTI'IIRNEY.

June 7, 1966 A. c. BURR FOLDING DISPLAY TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1964 INVENTOR. fllan C. Barr fiTTaRNi'K United States Patent 3,254,614 FOLDING DISPLAY TABLE Alan Carleton Burr, East Norwalk, Conn., assignor to Howe Folding Furniture Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 26, 1964. Ser- No. 354,866 12 Claims. (Cl. 108122) This invention relates to a multiple position display table. It is often desirable for advertising or for instruction, for example, to display a number of articles or a number of parts of an article so that they can be conveniently seen by a number of people simultaneously.

An object of this invention is to provide a display device on which one or many articles or parts of an article may be readily mounted and demounted, and which canbe adjusted to make the articles or parts of' an article visible to a number of people who may be seated at different distances away, or at different elevations, as in an amphitheater, lecture hall and the like. Another object of the invention is to supply such a device which can be readily converted from operative position into folded inoperative position in which it occupies a minimum of space and can be moved or stored standing up.

The invention will be best understood when the following description is read in connection with the drawings, in which,

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view partly cut away.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation.

FIGURE 3 is an end view'taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a detail view taken on the line 4'4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation showing the table top in inclined position.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the structure with the top inclined at a greater angle, and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation showing the structure in fully folded position.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings comprises, a top 10 which preferably is a pegboard perforate i.e., to facilitate attachment thereon of articles to be displayed. Angle brackets 10a and 10b project downwardly from the under surface of the top 10 in parallel relation adjacent the lateral edges of the top.

Legs 12a and 12b are interconnected at the top by cross member 13 which is rotatably mounted between angle brackets 10a and 10b on hearing pins 13a and 13b. Legs 14a and 14b are interconnected at the top by cross member 16 which is pivotally connected at its ends between the link-leg members 20a and 20b respectively, on hearing pins 16a, 16b, FIGS. 5 and 6.

At the end of members 20a and 2011, which are their upper ends when the structure is folded, are hinge leaves 24a and 24b which project upwardly and inwardly to- Ward the under surface of the top, and are pivotally engaged by pivots 26a and 26b respectively, with the hinge leaves 28a and 28b which project down from the under surface of the table, preferably from the angle members 10a and 10b respectively, toward the hinge leaves 24a and 24b respectively. I When the structure is fully folded, members 14a, 20a and members 14b and 20b will be substantially aligned and disposed in a plane which is only slightly angularly related to the plane of top 10, and legs 12a and 12b will be in a plane parallel to, and directly adjacent to, the plane of top 10. In this folded position, as seen in FIG. 7, a mobile, self supporting display board is provided.

The link members 20a and 20b are 'shown as angle members and the pivot points 16a and 16b are disposed intermediate the ends of link members 20a and 20b respectively, and when the table isfolded as shown in FIGURE'7 the legs 14a and 14b will be substantially aligned with, and received in, the portions of members 20a and 26b which extend below the pivots 16a and 16b.

The feet of legs 12a, 12b and 14a, 14b are turned outwardly at their lower extremities and preferably are sup ported on casters 0. As best seenin FIGURE 7 the legs 14 will be spaced from the legs 12a, 12b respectively at their lower ends only sufficiently to allow the structure to stand on its own feet in folded position. To prevent the pairs of legs from moving too close together a cross member 40 is provided between the leg-links 20a, 20b adjacent their lower ends in position to act as a stop limiting the folding movement of brace-links 34a and 34b which will be described.

When the structure is fully unfolded as seen in FIG. 2 the leg-link members 20 will be disposed directly under the top 10 and in a plane which is parallel, and directly adjacent to the top 10, with the legs 14a, 14b extending downwardly in open position, and disposed slightly outwardly at an angle, relative to the link members 20a and 20b respectively.

When the table is partly unfolded, as it usually will .be in use, in order to dispose the top 10 at an angle where objects displayed upon it may be seen by a number of people, even if they are seated in rows arranged one behind the other, the leg-links 20a and 20b will be angularly disposed both relative to the top 10 and to the legs 14a and 14b respectively as seen in'FIGS. 5 and 6. In order to hold the top in an inclined position the lower edge of the angle members 10a and 10b are notched with a series of notches n adapted to receive the free ends of arms 30a and 30b respectively, which at their lower ends are pivoted to the links 20a and 20b respectively by pivot means 32a and 32b. By moving arms 30a and 30b and inserting their free ends selectively in similarly disposed notches n in angle members 10a and 10b respectively, the inclination of the top can be varied through the whole range from horizontal to vertical positions. Stops 33a and 33b are provided on members 20a and 20b to limit movement of arms 30a, 30b downwardly.

A cross bar 15 is mounted for rotation between legs 12a and 12b intermediate their end-s on pivot bearings 15a and 15b, and brace-link means 34a and 34b extend from the cross bar 15 to a cross bar 35 which is mounted for rotation between the leg-links 20a and 20b, adjacent their upper ends, on pivot bearings 35a and 35b. Similar brace-link means 36a, :36b extend from cross bar 23 which is mounted for rotation between leg means 14a and 14b on pivot pins 23a and 23b, to cross bar 37 which is mounted for rotation between members 19a, 10b on pivot pins 370 and 37 b, which are disposed between hinge leaves 28a, 28b respectively and the cross bar 13, longi- .tudinally of the top.

As a supplement to a perforate top 10 a non-perforate cover member 38 is provided which is adapted to fit snugly over top 10 so that if desired the structure may be used as an ordinary table. Also there may be objects which can be attached for display to a nonperforate top.

There has thus been provided a structure in which the objects stated above are attained in a simple and thoroughly practical manner.

What I claim is: I

1. A folding display table comp-rising, a unitary top, a plurality of support means pivotally connected to the top; one of said support means being extensible to raise one end of the top above the other, and means carried by the extensible support means and movable for coaction with the top for holding the top in a selected inclined position. 2. A folding display table comprising, a unitary top,

a plurality of flanges extending downwardly from the to the lower part and to the top substantially at the trans-- verse midline of the top, means pivotally connected between said lower part and the other of said cross bars, and means coactive between the top and the upper part for selectively supporting the top in any one of a plurality of inclined positions.

3. A folding display table comprising, a top, flanges depending from the top adjacent its lateral edges, first and second cross bars pivotally mounted between said flanges on the same side of the transverse midline of the top, a first pair of legs, the upper ends of which are connected to the first cross bar, a second pair of legs eachv comprising upper and lower parts, hinge means connecting the upper parts respectively to the flanges, a third cross bar pivotally mounted between the upper parts adjacent their upper hinged ends, a fourth cross bar pivotally mounted between the upper parts of the second pair of legs intermediate their ends, the upper ends of the lower parts of said second pair of legs being connected to said fourth cross bar, a fifth cross bar pivotally mounted between the legs of the first pair of legs intermediate their ends, a sixth cross bar pivotally mounted between the lower parts of the second pair of legs, intermediate the ends of said lower parts respectively, brace-link means extending from said fifth cross bar to said third cross bar, brace-link means extending from said sixth cross bar to said second cross bar, at least one of the flanges depending from the top having a series of notches along its lower edge, and means pivoted at its lower end to the upper portion of at least one of the second pair of legs, the upper end of said means being adapted to engage in one of said notches, the particular notch being determined by the relative angle between the upper and lower parts of the second support means.

4. A multi-position folding display table comprising, a top, first leg means pivotally connected to the top, second leg means adapted in one position to coact with the first leg means to support the top in horizontal position and comprising two parts interconnected for movement between substantially aligned and angularly related position, said second leg means being spaced from, and interconnected with, the top by hinge means, link means pivotally connected between the first and second leg means, link means pivotally connected between the top and the second leg means, and means coactive between the top and the second leg means for adjusting the top throughout a range of inclined positions.

5. A folding display table comprising, a unitary top, support means for the top comprising a plurality of pairs of legs, one pair of legs being pivotally connected at its upper end to the top, and a second pair of legs each comprising two parts, the upper parts being pivotally connected between the top and the lower parts respectively and adapted when the top is horizontal to lie in a plane parallel to the top, and the lower parts being of a length to coact with the other pair of legs in supporting the top in horizontal position when the said upper parts are parallel with the top, means carried by said upper parts and coactive with the top when the upper parts are not parallel 'with the top to hold the table top in an inclined position, and link means connecting the upper parts of said second pair of legs respectively to the first pair of legs respectively.

6. A folding display table comprising, a unitary peg board top, means for supporting the top for movement between a horizontal and a tilted position, said means comprising a plurality of support means pivotally connected to the top, one of the support means comprising two parts pivotally connected together and relatively movable between a position in which one of the parts is disposed in a line parallel to the top and a position in which said part is disposed at an angle to the top, and means carried by said one of said parts and coactive with the top to engage the top when the support means are in unfolded position.

7. A folding display table comprising a top, a plurality of support means for the top, each pivotally connected to the top, one of said support means being pivoted to the top adjacent one end of the top and the other support means comprising two parts pivotally interconnected and adjustable angularly to control the over all height of the support means comprising the two parts to raise and lower one end of the top and to thereby move the top between a horizontal position and a series of positions in which the top is inclined at different angles relative to its said horizontal position, hinge means connecting the upper part of the two part support means to the top and 'at the same time spacing the upper part of said support means from the top.

8. A folding display table comprising, a unitary peg board top, means for supporting the top, movable between a horizontal position and a tilted position, said means comprising two support means pivotally connected to the top, one of the support means comprising two parts pivotally connected together, and means carried by one of said parts and coactive with the top to engage the top when the parts of the two part support means are disposed at a relative angle, the length of the lower part of the two part support means, from its lower end to its pivotal connection with the upper part, being the same as the length of the other support means from its lower end to its pivotal connection to the top.

9. A folding display table comprising, a unitary peg board top, means for supporting the top, movable between a horizontal position and a tilted position, said means comprising two support means pivotally connected to the top, one of the support means comprising two parts pivotally connected together, and means carried by one of said parts and coactive with the top to engage the top when the parts of the two part support means are disposed at a relative angle, the means coactive with the top being pivotally connected to the upper part of the two part support means and disposed so that when the top is horizontal the arm and the upper part will lie in parallel planes, and parallel to the plane of the top, and when the top is inclined the means coactive with the top will contact the top at a distance from the transverse midline of the top determined by the relative angle between the parts of the two part support means.

10. A folding display table comprising, a unitary peg board top, means for supporting the top, movable between a horizontal position and a tilted position, said means comprising two support means pivotally connected to the top, one of the support means comprising two parts pivotally connected together, and means carried by one of said parts and coactive with the top to engage the top when the parts of the two part support means are disposed at a relative angle, the length of the lower part of the two part support means, from its lower end to its pivotal connection with the upper part, being the same as the length of the other support means from its lower end to its pivotal connection to the top, and the upper part of the twopart support means being hinged to the top substantially at the transverse midline of the top.

11. A structure movable between an unfolded position in which it is operative as a table and a folded position in which it is operative as a substantially vertical display board, comprising, a unitary top, first support means pivotally attached to the top adjacent one end, second support means comprising a lower part of substantially the same height as the first support, and a second part pivotally connected to the top of the first part, means spacing the upper end of the second part from the top and pivotally connecting it to the top adjacent the transverse midline of the top, means carried by the second part and movable between-an inoperative position and a position in which it coacts with the top to determine the angular position of the top, link means interconnecting the first support means and the second part of the second support means, and other link means interconnecting the first part of the second support means and the top at a point intermediate the transverse midline of the top and one end of the top.

12. A structure movable between an unfolded position in which it is operative as a table and a folded position in which it is operative as a mobile substantially vertical display board, comprising, a unitary top, first and second support means each having casters on one end and pivot connections to the top at the other end, the second support means being longer than the first support means and comprising two parts pivotally connected and movable between, a position in which the upper part is substantially parallel to the top and the lower part remains upright, and a position in which the upper and lower parts are substantially aligned and the whole second support means is spaced from, and substantially parallel to, the top, and link means interconnecting the first and second top respectively whereby the first and second support means remain in upright position and move away from one another as the top is moved from substantially vertical to horizontal position and move toward one another as the top is moved from horizontal to substantially vertical position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 180,052 7/1876 Northrop 1089 X 380,366 4/1888 Trapp 1089 412,142 10/1889 Walters 108124 439,186 10/1890 Ream 1089 527,017 10/1894 Fry 108-9 836,551 11/1906 Werner 1089 1,044,196 11/1912 Lang 1089 2,522,296 9/ 1950 Overstedt 108129 X 2,812,599 11/1957 Hyams 108--117 2,873,543 2/1959 Lantz 1081 17 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FOLDING DISPLAY TABLE COMPRISING, A UNITARY TOP, A PLURALITY OF SUPPORT MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE TOP, ONE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS BEING EXTENSIBLE TO RAISE ONE END OF THE TOP ABOVE THE OTHER, AND MEANS CARRIED BY THE EXTENSIBLE SUPPORT MEANS AND MOVABLE FOR COACTION 